Photographic printing



W. V. D. KELLEY AND J. MASON.

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING.

APPLICATION HLED .IULY 26,1917.

Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

W. V. D. KELLEY AND J. MASON.

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, I917.

Patehted Aug. 17,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. V. D. KELLEY AND J. MASON.

. PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING.

4 APPLICATION FILED JULY 26.1917.

1,350,023. ted Aug. 17,1920.

F 3SHEETS-SHEET 3,

' INVENTORY A TTORNEY UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

wIL Iamv. n. KELLEY, or BROOKLYN, AND Josarn MASON, or NEW YORK, N. Y.,

assIoNons, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro PRIZMA INCORPORATED, a oonromrIoNor MAINE.

rno'roemrmo PRINTING.

- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 17, 1920.

Application filed July 26, 1917. serial No. 182,817.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, WJLLIAM V. D. KELLEY, acitizen of the United States, and resident of Brooklyn, county of Kings,and State of New York, and JOSEPH MAsoN, a citizen of the United States,and resident of New York city county of New York, and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PhotographicPrinting, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to method and apparatus for photographicprinting, and has particular reference to'the manufacture of projectingpositive film for color motion picture reproduction.

In manufacturing projecting positives from color value records made byexposures through color screens, and especially where the positive is tohave one color value record registered with another on the same imagearea, a number of practical difiiculties are encountered in obtainingthe necessary accuracy of registry and printing. Celluloid film isaffected by liquids, humidity, age, etc., and has a general tendency toshrink. A positive after being developed and dried, or after coloringtreatment, is always shorter and narrower than the negative,

while the negative itself will also var from tive with the sensitivepositive strip, and r particularly at the printing window, and inobtaining the same registry of the sec ond negative with that positivearea. Heretofore, it has been considered sufficient in printing machinesto register beyond the printing window, by means of guides for sideplay, and by the feeding devices for the up and down play, and to assumethat the images would then register at the printing point, but we havefound that this is not suflicient, because the registering 1s perpoint.

vided with perforations at the side, we use a certain perforation ofeach positive image area at the printing gate as a standard, and exactlregister the corresponding perforation 0 each negative with saidselected positive perforation, as for example by us1ng a pin tightlyfitting the perforationfrom end to end and top to bottom, so that anynegative shrinkage, warping or distortion is all taken up at thisstandard perforation. With standard perforations, this single pin willdefinitely register the negative both laterally and longitudinally, butin practice we preferably use a second cooperating pin which fitscorresponding opposite perforations of positive and negative tightlyfrom top to bottom, but loosely from side to side so as to allow theshrunk negative to slide laterally under the control of the full fittingpm. This second pin consequently only assists the longitudinal registration and acts independently of, although simultaneously with, thefull fitting pin.

The invention presents distinct advantages where double coated film isemployed for a positive, intended to have a color value of one colorfamily printed on one side, and a color value record of a complementarycolor family printed in exact registry on the other side by the samelight. In printing a double coated film, one side is printed in contactwith the negative, emulsion to emulsion, while in printing the otherside of the positive film, both the negative and the positive film arereversed, bringing thecelluloid side of the negative against the secondemulsion on the positive. Since a certain perforation on one edge of thepositive is used as the standard, and'a certain other perforation on theother edge of the-positive is used for longitudinal registration of thenegative, it is necessary to reverse the registration devices in theprinting machine after printing one side, in order to obtain perfectregistration of the impressions on the other side, because otherwise therelation to the standard perforation which obtains when the firstnegative is registered with the positive, is lost in registering thesecond negative and making the second print, thereby throwing the secondimage out of registry by the amount of shrinkage of the negative. Incase the second print be made on the same sideof the positive; strip, asis sometimes done, the registration devices do not have to be reversed,nor in case two negatives are printed simultaneously on bppoo aquecoatings between the two emulsions.

eretofore, double coated film has either been provided with an opaquecoating which is dissolved out in subsequent treatment, or elseoptical'methods are used in which one or both negative images aresimultaneously projected on opposite sides of the film. Another methodis to have a negative on each side and print simultaneously. All ofthese methods involve complications either in treatment or care of thefilm or apparatus required, or preclude the use of ordlnary strinegatives directly and also 1nvolve registration difliculties. thatcontact printing from strip negatives can be effected in successionwithout fogging, if a sufficiently intense lightbe used in conunctionwith a slow? emulsion on the double coated positive, and thisdiscovery has especial applicability and advantages in connection withthe method and apparatus herein described.

In the accompanying ing a preferred form,

drawings illustrat- Figure 1 is an elevation of a machine for.

carrying out the invention,

Fig. 2 isa front view, Fig. 3 is a detail, on an enlarged scale, of theregistering mechanism,

Fig. 4 is a front view of the right, and

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views showing the separate vertical andhorizontal registering mechanism.

The printing machine consists of a casing 1 carrying a bracket 2 onwhich a spool carrying a negative-strip 3 is mounted and below thenegative spool so as to run outside thereof is another spool carryingthe sensitive or positive strip 4 preferably sensitized on both sideswith a "slow emulsion. The material of the strip is of ordinarycelluloid Fig, seen from used for this purpose without being colored,

as is sometimes done to prevent the passage of light from one side tothe other. The two strips 3 and 4 pass through a guiding meansconsisting of hinged plates 5, 6, which are latched by 'a latch 7, thestrips being separated in passing through the guides'by the thickness ofthe intermediate plate 6. After passing through the guides, the stripsare brought in approximate contact and then pass through the registeringand clamping devices consisting of an inner smooth plate 9 having aprintmg window 10. Outside of We have discovered istration pins 17, 18,which fit in the perforations 19 in the edges of the strips. These pinsare disposed at the printing window, so that no displacement of. thestrips is possible between registration and printing. Heretofore, it'has been customary to have the registering occur above or below theprinting window, which sufiiees for ordinary work. The positive and negative, before any exposure or baths are perforated by the same perforatoror make of perforator, generally by the film manufacturer, so as to bepractically identical. The shrinkage or alteration in size of films isprogressive, and if registration is made at the picture which is onepicture away from the window, we begin to lose accuracy and if two ormore pictures away, less and less accuracy is obtained. Theseperforations in the negative may be made'either before it is exp0sed,-orat the moment of making the exposure, and the certain perforations innegative and positive which are to be used for registration, should bemade withforations on each edge is employed for registering, or theregistration perforations can be made in the camera when the negative istaken. Fig. 5 shows the shape of the standard perforation, having flatsides and curved ends, and the pins 17, 18 are made of peculiar shapefor the purpose of cooperating with these standard shaped perforations.As shown in Fig. 5, the left hand pin 17 is so shaped and formed as tosubstantially fill the perforation in both the positive strip 4 as shownin Fig. 5, and the negative str1p 3 which will be in contact therewithat the printing window, thus constituting the registration standard. Theopposite pin 18, as seen in Fig. 5, does not fill the perforation fromend to end laterally, but does exactly fit the perforation from top tobottom, thus giving longitudinal registration. The two pins thus workindependently on both positive and negative without any possibility ofstraining the perforations, and thus insuring exact registration. Whenthe positive strip is re-,

ing their positions on the plate, or more conveniently in practice bysubstituting another plate having the pins reversed, when the secondseries of prints is to be made. Registration is consequently alwaystoward the same edge of stri 4, however it is faced in the machine. Thefunction of this becomes apparent when it is considered that for doublecolored transparencies, each image area of strip 4 is to receiveimpressions from two different negatives of strip 3, which impressionsmust be in exact registration. These impressions may be on the same sideof the positive either in the same or different layers, or overlying oneanother in different coatings on opposite sides of the positive strip 4.In this machine the full fitting pin 17 at the printing window may besaid to be the standard to which the positive strip 4 and the firstnegative image are adjusted, and then the second negative is adjusted tothe same standard, and this standard remains the same however the imagesare arranged.

Another advantage of this invention is that it is automatic, and whenthe machine is once properly set and started it will continue withoutrequiring adjustments during the process, or supervision, as we havebeen able to set the machine running and leave it entirely alone. Thisis very important when it is considered that a negative strip frequentlyvaries from place to place by reason of warping, or uneven tension indrying, or age, humidity, etc., besides the variatlon to be expectedfrom normal shrinkage. Mounted on shaft 21 having a driving pulley 22,is a cam 23 for actuating the reciprocating feed bar 24. This bar slidesin guides 25, and carries sliding feeding or draw pins 26. These pinshave a vertical motion for drawing one or both strips down andhorizontal motion for engaging one or both strips according as one orboth is to be fed. For reciprocating 'the'draw pins 26 horizontally aface cam 27 is provided having one throw 28 approximately twice theheight of the other throw 29. Pivoted at 30 is a lever 31 having a slot32 which engages a cross bar 33 connecting the two pins 26, the upperend of bar 31 having a roller 34 which is held in engagement with thecams 28, 29 by spring 35. This mechanism is intended for use where thenegative strip 3 carries color value images in recurring cycles, such asalternating red and green images, or recurring three or four colorcycles. In such cases, the negative strip 3 will have to be fed at apredetermined faster rate than the sensitive positive strip 4, which isaccomplished, in the case of a two color process for example, by causingthe cam 28 to insert the pins 26 through both films just before spring37 draws down the bar 24 on cam 23. \Vhen only the negative strip is tobe fed, the

cam 29 only throws the pins 26 far enough to engage the perforations inthe strip 3. a

At the same time that the bar 31 moves to the left to withdraw the pins26 from the strip perforations, after the feeding motion of bar 24, anarm 38 carried by bar 31 and actuated through link 39 and bell crank 40causes the push rods 41 to be withdrawn from engagement with theclamping plate 11, and thus permittin springs 16 to expand andsimultaneous y re ister and then clamp the two strips, as a ovedescribed. During the feeding of one or both strips, the registrationpins 17, 18 are held in a position shown in Fig. 3 by the push rods 41,which are controlled through bar 31 by the cam surfaces 28, 29 on cam27. If the ordinary single image positive is to be made by this machine,the negative and positive will both be fed, registered, clamped andprinted at the same speed.

Shaft 21 also carries a shutter 44which cooperates with a lamp 45adjacent the barrel 46 leading to the printing window 10. Suitablelenses may be used in the barrel 46 for rendering the rays of lightparallel, so that there will be no blurring or indistinctness ofprinting by reason of dispersion of the light around the edges of thenegative image, especially when the negative is reversed with itscelluloid side toward the sensitive strip 4. The period of exposure isdetermined by the aperture in the shutter, which can be selectedaccording to the character of the positive emulsion, so as to obtainuick exposure on the slow emulsion and t ereby prevent fogging of oneside of a double coated positive by exposure of the other side. Aftersimultaneously develop ing and fixing, the positive can be projected, orcan be colored by suitable methods, such colored transparency, or theprocess of making it, not being a part of this invention. By our methodwe have entirely eliminated any necessity for opaque layers between thetwo emulsions on the positive, or the necessity of coloring the stock sothat it will have reduced light transmitting capacity, and yet we haveobtained double coated positives in such exact registry and fine detailas to show no lack of registration even when magnified many times andprojected on the curtain.

The terms negative and positive are used in the relative sense herein,and not as limitations upon the invention, which can not only be usedspecifically for making colored projecting transparencies for motionpicture reproduction, but can also be used for various other purposes,such as ordinary black and white positives, or single pictures.Positives made by this invention will be so accurately registered as torun much more smoothly than positives printed without being registeredat the printing tive strip, occupying a fixed position relaw window.Although the apparatus is described herein with reference to two colorcycle negatives, three or four color cycle negatives can be used in asimilar manner by suitably varying the feed mechanism cams 23, 28, 29.The method is also not to be restricted in its broad aspects to the useof positive film coated on opposite sides, since various features of theinvention are applicable to the handling of film coated on one side.

So far as we are aware, one or more images registered with apredetermined standard perforation of a strip, with or without using aperforation in the opposite edge to assist in longitudinal registration,have not heretofore been produced, and we believe ourselves to be thefirst inventors of such product, as well as a transparency carrying aplurality of images, each registered with the same standard perforationat which all shrinkage'is taken up.

What is claimed, is:

l. The method of photographically printing images upon a positive stripfrom a negative strip while in contact, whichconsists in exactlyregistering laterally and longitudinally a single perforation in thenegati'vely to the image thereon, with a corresponding like perforationin the positive strip and simultaneously registering anothercorresponding separated perforation in both positive and negative inonedirection only to effect both longitudinal and lateral registration ofthe negative with the positive as the standard, and printing an image onthe positive strip from said nega-' tive while so registered.

2. In photographic printing of/positive film having a registrationperforation other than round from negative fihn having a likeperforation,'the step which consists in registering the negative incontact with the positive by passing through said like peI'-' forationsin both positive and negative a registration pin means shaped to exactlyregister said two perforations both laterally and longitudinally? whilepermitting the negative as a whole to take a definite printing positiondetermined by said positive negative strip, occupying fixed positions.relatively to the imagethereon, into longiperforation and theregistration pin means irrespective of negative variation relatively Ito the positive.

3. The method ofphotographically printing images upon a positive stripfrom a negative strip while in contact, which consists in positioning anegative film with relation to the particular area on the positive filmstrip on which the image. is to be printed by bringing two perforationson the tudinal and lateral registration respectively with twocorrespondingly positioned perfosponding perforation of the positiveconstituting the standard, making the print, positioning the secondnegative in contact on the other side of the positive with acorresponding perforation inexact registration with the same positivestandard perforation, and making the second print.

- 5. In photographic printing of perforated positive film from likeperforated negative film, the step which consists in exactly registeringone perforation of the negative with a corresponding perforation of thepositive as the standard and simultaneously registering one otherperforation at the opposite edge of'the negative with acorrespondingother perforation at the opposite edge of the positive only at suchopposite sides of the latter perforations as to permit the exactregistration of said first two perforations.

"6. In photographic printing of positive film having a perforation otherthan round from like perforated negative film, the step which consistsin positioning the negative in contact with the positive by exactlyregistering the'edges of a single corresponding perforation of each todetermine the printing position to laterally and longitudinally registerthe negative in printing position on the positive.

7. In photographic printing of positive film having a perforation otherthan round lay produce a plurality of registering images 11 eachpositive area from a plurality of negative film areas each having a likeperforation and an image in uniform relation thereto, positioning eachnegative in contact with one side of the positive by exactly registeringedges of said negative perforation with the edges of said positiveperforation to determine laterally and longitudinally the respectiveprinting position of each negative, and printing said positive area fromeach negative while so registered.

8. In photographic printing of positive film having a perforation otherthan round to produce a plurality of registering images on each positivearea from a plurality of negative film areas on a single strip eachhaving a like perforation and an image in uniform relation thereto,positioning one negative area in contact with one side of said positiveby exactly registering the perforathe perforation of a second negativearea on the opposite side of the positive with the same positiveperforation, and making the second print.

9. In a photographic printing machine, the combination with a printingwindow and means for feeding positive and negative film strips eachhaving like perforations other than round, of pin means other than roundat said window for exactly registering a predetermined singleperforation of both positive and negative.

10. In a photographic printing machine, the combination with a rintingwindow and means for feeding positive and negative perforated filmstrip, of two pin means at said window for exactly registering apredetermined single perforation of both positive and negative on oneedge of the film and corresponding perforations at the opposite edgeonly at such opposite sides of the latter perforations as to permit theexact registration of said first two perforations.

11. A device for printing a positive film strip provided withperforations other than round from a negative strip provided with likeperforations and carrying alternating families of color value records,having means to independently feed the negative a plurality ofpredetermined lengths, and the positive one length, and pin means otherthan round for registering the negative with the positive at theexposure aperture cooperating with a single perforation in each imagearea of both strips so that said perforations are exactly registered andall of one family of color records recorded in sequence.

12. In a photographic printing machine, a full fitting pin forregistering a negative film laterally with respect to a positive film tobe printed, a loose fitting in spaced therefrom for effecting lon ituinal registration only by another per oration of each film, and meansfor clamping the negative and positive in registered printing position.

13. In a hotographic printing machine, means for eeding two perforatedstrips, a pin engagin with a certain perforation in each strip orregistering them laterally, and a separate pin engaging with a certainother perforation in each strip for registering said stripslongitudinally.

14. In a hotographic printing machine, means-for ceding two perforatedstrips, a pin engagin with a certain perforation in each strip orregistering them laterally, a se arate pin enga 'ng with a certain otherper oration in eac strip for registering said strips longitudinally, andmovable clamping means carrying said registering pins.

15. In a photographic printing machine, a full fitting pin forregistering two perforated strips, and a cooperating second pin top tobottom for effecting longitudinalregistration at the printing gate atthe time of making the exposure.

17. In a photographic printing machine, a printing window, a movableplate for clamping a negative and a positive film strip in printingposition, and registering means carried by said plate.

18. In a photographic printing machine, a printing window, a movableplate for clamping a negative and a positive film strip in printingposition, a pin fixed on one side of said plate for laterallyregisteringthe edge perforations of said strips, and a pin on the other side ofsaid plate for longitudinally registering the opposite edge perforationsof said strips.

19. In a photographic printing machine having a printing window, areciprocatory and bodily movable means for engaging and feeding aperforated film strip located at one side of the printing window, andclamping means carrying a full and a loose fitting registering pinlocated at the printing window.

20. In a photographic printing machine, feeding means adapted to bemoved into engagement with a predetermined number of film strips, meansfor moving said means to bodily feed the strips engaged thereby, andmeans for periodically varying the number of strips engaged by saidfeeding means.

21. In a photographic printing machine, a reciprocatory and bodilymovable film strip feeding pin, and means for varying the reciprocationof said pin according to the number of strips to be fed during itsbodily movement.

22. In a photographic printing machine, feeding means adapted to bemoved into engagement with a predetermined number of film stri s, meansfor moving said means to bodily eed the strips engaged thereby, meansfor periodically varying the number of strips engaged by said feedingmeans, and means registering said strips at each feeding movement ofsaid feeding means.

23. In a photographic printing machine, a printing window, strip feedingmeans for engaging a photographic strip and located longitudinally ofthe strip beyond one side of the window, film registering means locatedlaterally of the window, and clamping means p t ng with said. regisering me ns.- I

feeding means driven thereby, and means for varying successivereciprocations of said strip engaglng means.

26. A photographic printing machine having a power shaft, reciprocatoryfilm strip engaging means driven thereby, means for periodically varyingthe reciprocatory movement of said engagmg -means, and

means for bodily shifting said engaging means after each reciprocation.27. A photographic strip printing machine comprising a source of light,a shutter,

a printing window, and registering and clamping means located at theWindow.

28. A photographic strip printing machine comprising a source of light,a shutter,

a printing window, and registering Y and clamping means eifective' toindependently register laterally and vertically and to clamp together aplurality of strips when said shutter admits light to said window.

29. A photographic strip feeding machine comprising a power shaft, amovable shutter, a printing window, means for in-' termittently feedingtwo strips at different rates of speed, strip registering means, and

means for intermittently clamping the strips in registry opposite theprinting window.

30. In a photographic printing machine having a printing window, thecombination with said window of means for independently registering aperforated strip horizontally and vertically, a shutter having anaperture disposed on the opposite side of said window from saidregistering means, and means actuating said shutter. and saidregistering means in synchronism.

31. In photographic printing, means for printing sep'arated'negativeimages in succession on a' sensitive strip, comprising means for feedingspaced negative images and successive sections of said sensitive stripinto printing position, means independent of said feeding means forregistering said strips vertically and laterally, and. means forclamping said strips. in printing relation.

32. In photographic printing, means for printing separated negativeimages in sficcession on a perforated sensitive strip, comprising meansfor feeding a perforated negative strip and said sensitive stripsimultaneously to printing position by said perforations alternatelywith feed of said cession on a perforated sensitive strip, comprisingmeans for feeding spaced negative images on a perforated strip andsuccessive sections of said sensitive strip into printing position,means independent of said feeding means and located at the printing.aperture for independently registering said strips longitudinally andlaterally by said perforat'ions, and means for printing said negativestrip on said positive strip.

34. In photographic printing, the method which consists in placingperforated negative and sensitive film strips in contact, alining acertain perforation of each for lateral registration and a certain otherperforation of each for longitudinal registration, printing saidnegative strip on said sensitive strip, similarly registering a secondportion of the negative strip having like perforations with the sameperforations in said sensitive strip, and printing saidsecond negativeon a second portion of sensitive coating on said sensitive strip withthe same light.

35. In photographic rinting, means for supplying a positive and anegative strip in spaced relation, a pin having a variable throw andtransversely en aging 'one or both of said strips, means or varying thethrow, and means for bodily moving the pin when in engaging position foreffecting the feed.

36. In photographic printing, means for supplying a positive and anegative strip in spaced relation, a pin having a variable throw andtransversely engaging one or both of said strips, means for periodicallyvarying the throw, and means for bodily moving the pin when inengagingposition for efi'ecting the feed. Y

37. In photographic printing, means for supplying a' positive and anegative strip in spaced relation and located in advance of a printingwindow, a pin having a variable throw and transversely'engaging one orboth of said strips, means for varying the throw, means for bodilymoving the pin when in engaging position for eifecting the feed, aprinting window to which the strips are fed, and registering andclamping means at the window.

38.- A photographic strip printing machine having a printing window,means for registering a plurality of strips in predemined relation andlocated laterally of the termined relation and located at said winwindowon each side at said'window, and dow, and means for clamping said stripsmeans for clamping said strips in registered 10 in registered relation.relation.

39. A photographic strip printing machine having a printing window,means for WILLIAM V. D. KELLEY.

registering a plurality of strips in predeter- JOSEPH MASON.

